Bologna Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
Sacred Heart of Jesus Church Photos
About Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
This is a typical example of the architecture towards the end of the 19th century. Byzantine style is written all over it while the main floor space inside was inspired from St Sofia in Constantinople. The style and grandeur of the building was also one of the last to be constructed in Bologna in the 20th century.
The shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was erected by Cardinal Domenico Svampa, Archibishop of Bologna and was planned by architect Edorado Collamarini. The foundation stone was laid in 1901 and the temple was open to the faithful on 15th October 1912.
In this first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Rosary are 3 paintings which are actually a copy of the 17th century original by Salvi and can be seen in the Basilica of St Sabina in Rome.
Next door to it is another chapel with a model of this church in front of the altar and this painting of St Joseph just as he passes away. It was done by Renato Pasqui in 1951.
On the 21st November 1929 the imposing dome 60m in height collapsed.
In 1930 the parish was given into the Salesian Father’s care and Fr. Antonio Gavinelli, the new parish priest, had the church rebuilt and reopened on 19th May 1935.
On 25th September 1943 the shrine was heavily hit during an air raid and a part of the façade and the side of the church on Matteotti Street fell down. Fr Gavinelli returned from his political internment at the end of the war and devoted himself to its rebuilding again.
This wooden statute of Mary and the Child Jesus was completed in 1992 by a Salesian clerical worker called Luigi Riva.
The main altar was designed by the architect Federico Rampazzini. It was inaugurated on the 23rd June 1938 for the arrival of Fr Antonio Gavinelli arriving in Bologna who happened to be the 25th parish priest.
Just inside the entrance on the left is this last chapel here of San Giovanni Bosco. The rich altar itself made of marble was donated by Monsignor Lodovico Zucchini from another chapel called San Pio V. The painting above it executed by Augusto Maiani represents San Giovanni Bosco surrounded by young people.
In the sacristy here are a few old photos hanging on the wall showing the destruction of the dome in 1921 and the bomb damage during WWII.
In the crypt of the temple are the tombs of Cardinal Svampa and Fr Gavinelli who rebuilt the shrine twice.
On either side of the main stain glass are 2 pictures of Cardinal Svampa when he became a priest and as a young boy. There were done by Beltrami from Milan.
The crypt was consecrated on 19 June 1903 – the festival of the Sacred Heart – by Cardinal Svampa. His body has been interred since 16 October 1912
At the back of the room are 3 glass cases with reliquaries of various saints, St Marta being one of them.